Moss Vale Plastics Recycling Facility

The location of this proposed development seems driven entirely by economic imperatives, with no consideration for the local community who will bear the adverse effects to environment, infrastructure and health.
This project will place excessive strain on local infrastructure, which is already under significant pressure from existing population as well as additional recently approved residential developments.
This project is in close proximity to residential areas and to water catchments that feed local and Sydney residential water systems, presenting a major hazard to health.

Pollution within and in close proximity to a residential area. Impact on Southern Highlands as a place of natural beauty with tourism as a major industry. Impact on roads, traffic, and water resources.

Chris, Sheelagh and Emma,

Please refer to my objection attached.

Within this objection there are matters raised that need to be actioned by the Department of Planning, EPA, TfNSW and WaterNSW as well as the applicant. Please don't just refer it to the applicant and expect them to action it all, because that will not provide an adequate response. Can you please respond directly to me on the actions raised for the Department of Planning, and refer my objection to the EPA, TfNSW and WaterNSW as well as the applicant and pursue them for the relevant responses.

I find it troubling that objectors are required to make accounts and submit their objections through this burdensome portal process rather than by email, which will discourage people from making submissions; when the Department has acted liberally to accept an amended DA from Plasrefine, without proper written evidence of Land Owners consent and which does not properly describe the proposal or properly assess its impacts.

This facility is located far too close to residential areas, schools and the pristine natural environment of the Southern Highlands. The applicant holds a poor record of environmental care. The site will place a strain on water and roads, reduce home/land value in the area and negatively impact tourism.

This project is hazardous and has the potential of leaking toxic fumes and micro plastics into the local communities air supply and ground. It is not the suitable location for such a hazardous undertaking. I adamantly object to their proposed project.

Please see attached

See attached

I object to Plastefine Plastics recycling because of reduction in air & water quality, already congested roads, too close to town

I am deeply concerned about this project and have attached a letter regarding my concerns

Volume of traffic will increase around the area which will cause chaos. Construction noise of the facility. If it goes up in flames it will cause Moss Vale to evacuate amd thats a disaster itself with the majority of Moss Vale being the elderly generation. Toxic to the community and the environment.

I am strongly against the recycling plant being built in any shape or form in this area. We are still a rural area where farmers grow and produce food for human consumption. I do not want our local water and air at rusk from pollutants from a recycling plant. It is not wanted.

We simply don't need this in a small country town that cannot handle the traffic as it is now. We already have a woolworths application to deal with and that will greatly effect Moss Vale in terms of traffic congestion and accidents. Not to mention we don't need the smell from the plastine wafting over Moss Vale effecting our health. It is a bad idea to do it near a town. If it must happen do it somewhere away from people.

This project can not go ahead. PLEASE! We live on the main road of New Berrima. Already have numerous trucks per day and I can not imagine anymore. The pollution and dust already from the cement works is terrible. This will ruin our little community. 280 more trucks in and out a day will completely unbearable. Our road is only just holding up as it is!!! I have a 2.5 year old son and it is already hard enough to let him play out the front in our fully fenced yard. I cant imagine letting him outside with that many more trucks and noise pollution. Not to mention the plastic chemicals from the Plasrefine!!!! This is not the right site!!!!! Please do not allow this to happen to our communities!!!!!

I’m a chronic asthmatic. Concerns about traffic, pollution damage to our roads. The Chinese building business here as we can not go there and build business. The destruction of the vista in the Southern Highlands. The toxic waste being transported to the Illawarra.

RE: Proposed Plasrefine Plastics Recycling Facility 74-76 Beaconsfield Rd Moss Vale NSW 2577 SSD Application No – 9409987

I am making a submission in opposition to the above-mentioned State Significant Development by Plasrefine Recycling Pty Ltd.

I live in 17km south of Moss Vale, where I do my household’s shopping and make regular trips. I'm concerned about the proposed Plastic Recycling facility at 74-76 Beaconsfield Rd Moss Vale. (get creative)

The reasons why the two previous attempts by Plasrefine to obtain approval for this project have not changed.

The risk of serious issues emanating from this plant, if it were to be approved are enormous. The effects of the dust, noise, vibration, traffic impact and smell can’t be underestimated.

Residences, some of which are a mere 200m away, will be greatly affected by the proposed 24 hour a day, year-round operation. Toxic wastewater, via Moss Vale sewage treatment plant, will impact the local river system and catchment area which is currently at full capacity.

The impact of the prevailing W and SW winds on the Southern Highlands regions of Bowral and Burradoo by proposed facility is an unacceptable risk. Plastic dust, chemicals and fumes will be a daily feature of resident’s experience in those locations.

There is a great potential for long term health impacts on our young people such as cancer clusters. Respiratory, reproductive, eye and skin ailments from exposure to chemicals in plastic being processed are a real possibility. The three largest Schools in the Southern Highlands are at risk of this exposure.

The cumulative impact of heavy vehicles to road infrastructure to New Berrima is unacceptable. There is a lack of suitable access involving the three level crossings located there, where serious safety issues are unresolved.

Community consultation over the moving of the level crossings and how this potentially impacts the businesses already functioning in Douglas Road has been nonexistent.

A large riparian land area, and watercourses, that flow directly to the Wingecarribee river, and into the Sydney water catchment, are at risk from contamination. There is great potential for irreversible damage to the Sydney drinking water catchment.

In addition, there are plans to remove nine of the critically endangered Eucalyptus Macarthurii trees from the site.

The bulk and scale of the buildings are unacceptable. They are too big for the site.

The Wingecarribee Shire Council has limited resources for potential fire control, placing the staff of the close by Garvan facility, operated Australian Bio Recourses, at risk if a fire were to break out.

There is a lack of HAZMAT resources in the Wingecarribee Shire LGA. The ever increasing likelihood of fires in waste facilities, like this one, is an unacceptable risk. There are no permanently manned fire stations. Fire service personnel are on call. Also, we have regional standard fire services which are not equipped to cope with fires or hazmat situations.

The operators of this proposed facility have disclosed that they have no experience in plastic recycling. Furthermore, the Principal Technical Director of Plasrefine Pty Ltd, Mr Lyu, has a long history of environmental sanctions in China.

Nanxi Zheng, Mr Lyu’s Uncle (an alleged polluter in China), shares with Mr Lyu the directorship of the company that holds the patent for the Plasrefine logo and the deodoriser proposed to be used to wash the plastic. I’m concerned that this poses a significant risk to the Southern Highlands if a continuation of previous polluting practises occurs

Emissions containing microplastics have enormous health implications. The chemicals used will cause bioaccumulation of toxins in the environment. The risk of spills and accidents, as a result of human error, will cause toxins in the plastic dust to be released into the atmosphere.

This is a lack of details about the “deodoriser” proposed to wash plastic. Risks would be potential odour impacts from the “essential oils” contained within the deodoriser. There are no details on the impact of its contents when heated.

The Local DCP doesn’t allow for this type of heavy industry on that site. The DCP states it is a buffer site.

For all of the reasons above, the WSC is not supportive of this proposal.

I ask that you refuse this application. Thanx. :-)

Yours sincerely,
Gregory John Olsen
15C Panorama Rd
Bundanoon 2578

I am writing to express my OBJECTION to the proposed Plastics Recycling facility.
Whilst we understand that communities grow and populations grow requiring a greater need for particular facilities, this proposal is and will continue to be inappropriate for the site proposed.
There are many reasons that I strongly object to this facility, these reasons are not limited to; environmental impact, company mistrust, lack of community consultation, water usage, fire safety and road volume. The list can go on.

The Southern Highlands has grown immeasurably over the past few years however, continues to be a spacious, quiet and healthy environment for families and older generations. Facilities such as this will destroy the community and place immense strain on its roads and surrounding environment. The roads in place are not suitable for the sheer volume of trucks that are proposed to come in and out of the facility. The water supply that is required simply does not exist. The noise pollution alone will deeply impact on surrounding homes. The companies involved in the process of this facility development have continued to try and shut the community out and have lacked transparency from the beginning of the process, this has just added to the community's anger and lack of trust that this facility will be developed in a way that will protect the community and its surrounds.

This facility cannot go ahead here in the Southern Highlands, it is simply not the right place for it.
We all hope that common sense will win and this will not go ahead.

The Moss Vale Plastics Recycling Facility or Plasrefine should definitely not proceed -
1.It is planned in a rural area too close to homes ,schools and towns
2 . It is to operate 24/7 with over 100 truck movements per day on residential streets which will cause traffic chaos and damage to the already poor road surfaces
3. The southern Highlands is big tourist ares and it will be adversely affected by all truck movements and pollution from these
4.The actual recycling of the plastics will produce airborne toxic chemicals which with the prevailing winds will spread across
to residential areasin both Moss Vale Burradoo and Bowral
5.The developer is from China and does not have the same standards as Australia and has no experience in plastic recycling and it would be one of the largest recycling factories in Australia in rural environment and residents deserve to enjoy their homes
6. The factory would be very close to the Wingecarribee River which could become polluted with run off chemicals
This project should NOT go ahead

I am against the proposal in the following ways:-
1. This is not the right site.
2. It is too close to Residential Areas.
3. Too close to Child Care Centres and Schools.
4. The facility will cause excessive traffic on already congested roads.
5. The proponent is not experienced in plastics recycling.
6. The facility will emit toxic airborne particles.
7. The proposed building is too large for that area.

I object to the above application because the development would further impair already congested local roads and would add to air pollution in the southern highlands area.

permanent toxins in air and water, odours from processing, devaluation of properties and loss of revenue from Tourism, using already congested roads, infrastructure inadequate to address town water requirements, not to mention amount of waste produced, too close to schools, homes and town centre for one of the largest plants in Australia, etc.